Ride-hailing 'democratized' tech in Southeast Asia, Grab says

Jessica Fenol, ABS-CBN News

A Grab driver taxes a selfie during a Grab Academy event in Manila on June 26, 2018. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

SINGAPORE – Grab, which is expanding from ride-hailing to logistics and mobile payments, said it "democratized" technology by making smartphones useful for millions in Southeast Asia.

The Grab app has been downloaded over 100 million times in 8 Southeast Asian countries, serving a market valued at $25 billion, Grab founder and CEO Anthony Tan told reporters at the company's regional headquarters here.

"The beauty of Grab is that it has proven that it works very closely with the government in democratizing technology. We are one platform that allows for mobile internet to be pervasive all the way down into many driver’s hands," Tan said.

"I’m sure, whether it’s in Manila, or Cebu or in Davao, you can see that there are drivers who have never experienced smartphones until they’ve joined us," he said.